Improved pipe-wrench



NrTnD STATES PATENT OFFICE. y

IMPROVED PIPE-WRENCH.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. Z13,926, dated August 23, 1864.

T0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM PEARsoN, of Windsor Locks, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Pipe-Wrenches, the construetion and operation of which I have described in the following` specification and illustrated in its accompanying drawings with sufficient clearness to enable competent and skillful workmen in the arts to which it pertains or is most nearly allied to make and use my invention.

My said invention consists in the combination ot a lever, forming one jaw Vof the hinge, with a jaw hinged to it by means of a pin and socket in such a manner that the strain thrown upon the parts in the operation of turning the pipe is thrown upon the socketin the level', and not upon the pin which forms its apparent axis when not in operation, the

.smid movable jaw being kept up in position by a spring, as hereinafter set vforth also, in combination with the before-mentioned arrangement of the movable jaw, the forming ot' the said movable jaw with a number of notches or teeth in it, the outline of' said notches or teeth being on the are of a circle which is eccentric to the circle in which the movable jaw moves.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan of my improved wrench. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of it, showing the movablejaw toward thc observer. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, the planel of projection being parallel to that of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the movable eccentric-faced jaw, having four teeth or notches in its face.

1 is the lever, upon which onejaw, 2, ofthe wrench is formed. This is recessed, so as to give a concave circular bearing, as shown in Fig. 3, for the reception of the knuckle 3 ot' the movable jaw 4. Both the lever l and the jaw 4 are perforated to receive the pin 5, which tits snugly in the lever, but is allowed tonsiderable playin the knuckle 3 for the purpose ot' relieving the pin 5 f1 omv pressure and throwing the strain to support the pressure of the jaw 4 entirely upon the socket in the lever, the periphery of the knuckle bearing against the socket for that purpose. This is done by reaming out the hole in the knuckle, so as to make it considerably larger than the pin. The pin, however, keeps the jaw 4 from getting out of place when relieved from pressure.

This device makes, the strength of tl is wrench very great, as there are no weak parts exposed to strain, the pin, which forms the obvious axis ot' the jaw 4, being entirely protected from pressure in the operation of turning a pipe.

In addition to the sizes ot' pipe on Which the eccentricity of the teeth of the movable jaw, Fig. 4, allows us to use the wrench, we can, by simply changing the jaw 4 for a longer or a shorter one, which can be done in a moment, adapt the wrench to stfll greater differences in the sizes of the pipes to which it may be desirable to apply it; and as these jaws are very small and portable, several sizes may'be carried without particular iuconvenience. The wrench may also be made double, so that either end may be used, whereby there is a still greater increase in the rangev ot` its applicability. The main and practical operating parts upon which the woi king pressure is thrown are thus reduced to only two'in number, the construction above described fully relieving the other parts. The jaw 4 is thrown into operating position by the spring 6, which is attached at one end to the lever 1, bearing at the other against the heel of the jaw 4.

It will also be observed that thejaw 4 is constructed with a shoulder, as shown by dotted lines iu Fig. l, which shoulder bears upon the outer parts of the lever 1, and supports the jaw 4 in such a manner that the joint cannot be cramped so as to break the pin or do other damage. This is more clearly shown in Fig. 1, in which the shoulder is represented inthe full lines as resting upon the lever and in the dotted lines as being raised up from it.

The arrangement I have described furnishes a very convenient, simple, and portable pipe-wrench for those engaged in gas-titting, plumbing, or other kindred employments, and enables the constructor to give the requisite strength without such cumbrous and unwieldiy as well as complicated constructions as are generally in common use.

Having thus fully described my said invention, I claim- The arrangement of the lever 1, jaw 2, knuckle '3, jaw 4, pin 5, and spring 6, in combination with each other, by which arrangement the resultset forth is accomplished.

. WILLIAM PEARSON.

Witnesses CHARLEs W. DENsLoW, JOHN CHAsE, J r. 

